After a busy week with plenty of eating out recently I had plenty to write about food wise and I’ve decided to kick off with these two together, both of which are restaurant chains. As they are chains and I prefer to focus more on independents I figured smaller reviews would serve just as well for them. I’ll start off with some lovely Italian fare at Carluccio’s:
This restaurant has been one that I have walked past many times on my trips to Meadowhall but never have I actually set foot inside and I’m not overly sure why as it serves my favourite, Italian food. It had just turned 12 so we opted for the lunch time menu with 2 course for £10.99 and we decided to go for a main and dessert. The staff are very attentive which was great for getting quick service whether it was for getting seated or receiving your food. As we were one of the first to order from the lunch menu that day, we receieved our food quickly and it was quite lovely. I ordered the Ravioli with spinach and ricotta and served with sage and butter, it was a lovely dish with plenty of food on the plate and the creamy rich flavours working well together but not being too much. Me and mum had ordered garlic bread to share too and though it was nice and a big portion for your money, I wish we hadn’t ordered it as it was very greasy and that really didn’t work very well at all with the butter sauce on my Ravioli.
For dessert, me and mum both opted for exactly the same, a hazelnut biscotta, carmelised apple and toffee creation that was absolutely lovely. I can’t remember the name of it and I can’t find it online but it is on the special £10.99 set menu if you plan on going soon. The original dessert was meant to be served with vanilla cream but as someone who really detests cream I asked for it without and they very nicely changed it to vanilla ice cream instead. I think the ice cream worked well with it and I think it probably went better as it added another more solid texture to the dessert. The flavours complimented each other perfectly with the caramelised apples sitting so well against the toffee, hazelnut and vanilla. Served in a tumbler glass, it was just the right size especially as we were already a little full before we had this. A really lovely dessert.
With a great atmosphere and a menu which encompasses so much of Italian cuisine, it is a popular place and that was mirrored by how full it got during the Thursday lunchtime. The prices vary from the reasonable set menu prices to the more expensive dishes but there is definitely something for everyone to be had at Carluccio’s.
Carluccio’s can be found at Oasis in Meadowhall, Sheffield.
To find out more visit their website.
Next up, Chiquito’s, a place I’ve already reviewed before but as I recently branched out from my usual Halloumi Burger I decided it was time for another little mini review. On a recent Friday evening, me and my boyfriend headed out to Centertainment for food and to see Mad Max, we headed to Chiquito’s as it is a place that has not let us down food wise in the past. Like I said I branched out this time with what I chose to eat, firstly opting for a starter and then going for a different main, a big moment for a lover of the norm like me.
For starter, I opted for the Baby Gem Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Potato and Feta, the five pieces of baby gem came with the filling in a seperate pan and a lime and tequila sauce. If I’m being honest I wasn’t a fan of the sauce but that’s mainly because I hate tequila but as to the rest of the food, it was absolutely lovely. I quite like that you could put the wraps together yourself so you could put as much or as little of the filling on the lettuce as you wanted. Be warned though, the filling must have chilli or something running throughout it as it is very hot and I did have a case of lips on fire after eating it but bar that it was wonderful and a lovely light starter.
And it is a good job I ordered a light starter as my main was absolutely huge and took me well over half an hour to eat because there was just so much. Chiquito’s definitely do not skimp on the portions and value for money. After studying the menu in depth before ordering I found a whole new plethora of veggie options and went for the Chiquito ‘Street Style’ Burrito with veggie five bean chilli filling. The burritos come with Texan style cheese sauce, refried beans, cheese, lettuce and Mexican spiced rice already and then you choose your filling from a choice of five options, two of them vegetarian. The whole thing was absolutely jam packed with filling and for that reason was not the easiest or non-messy thing to eat but nevertheless it was a wonderful dish and I really loved it. It came with nacho chips, salsa, guacamole and sour cream, the guacamole in particular was absolutely lovely with the creamy texture of the avocado giving this a lovely flavour and texture.
After that I was absolutely stuffed but completely satisfied with the food that I had ordered and I’m glad I tried something different as it turned out to be a really good decision. Chiquito’s yet again have never let me down and because of that it was remain one of my favourite chain restaurants to eat at.
Chiquito’s can be found at Centertainment, Sheffield.
Find out more about their menu and restaurant by visiting their website.
Mixtape Couture 